The Wrong Time

Late Night Musings

Hermione stared at the door, feeling like a fool. Why had she pushed him? He said he didn’t want to get involved with her, and she should have left it at that. Her curiosity was eating at her though. All the flirting they had done over the radio before she got here gave her the impression that he had no problem becoming involved with someone he worked with.


She resolved that it had to be something to do with his true identity. She would get to the bottom of it, she just knew it. She felt a little angry that he was shying away from her because of a memory. She was hardly what she used to be. She was no longer a seventeen year old girl, always desperate for answers. Well, so that hadn’t changed; she was still desperate for answers.


She was different in most other ways, though. She was a woman now, and she was patient, and laid back. She wasn’t uptight like she had been then. Twenty years of marriage and three children had changed her.


She guessed that Silvano was probably about sixty years old, twenty her senior, but sixty was when a wizard was usually his most attractive. He was on the brink of middle age, and like a fine wine, he was aging very well. She wondered if he had been this sexy twenty years before. The thought sent a pulse between her legs. She brushed it aside. It was not the time to be thinking like that.


She picked up their forgotten wine glasses and carried them to the kitchen. She knew he would be in his bedroom. She wasn’t even sure where it was, much less feeling gutsy enough to barge in and demand an explanation.


After all, it had only been their first night together. What had she expected? For him to throw her atop the lovely marble island in his kitchen and shag senseless? She snorted slightly at the idea. As appealing as that sounded, it was just too soon for it.


She remembered at dinner, he mentioned he was going to tend the vineyard in the morning. Perhaps while he was gone, she could do some poking around, and try to figure out who he was. If he wouldn’t tell her willingly, she was going to find out in whatever way she could. She was so determined, a fleeting thought told her she wouldn’t be above spiking his tea with Veritaserum. It was just a fleeting thought though.


She sighed aloud and walked to her bedroom, first peeking in on Josiah before turning down the lights and climbing into her own bed. She closed her eyes and slept, a sleep filled with dreams of Silvano taking her in various areas of the house.


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Severus paced his study. He chided himself mercilessly. How could he have been so weak? How could he not have resisted her? He had resisted women plenty of times, particularly after moving out here. When the local single women learned that an attractive, and apparently rich single wizard had moved to the neighborhood, they bothered him on a daily basis, and he had resisted all of them, so why couldn’t he resist her?

He felt anger boil inside him. She was still curious, not that he had expected that to change. She wanted to know who he really was. A small part of him wanted to tell her, but he was afraid of what she would do if she knew. He stopped himself. That was the key to everything, wasn’t it? He was distancing himself from her, pushing her away, because he was afraid that if she found out who he really was, she would reject him. It was pathetic, sure, but he did feel a little relieved at the realization. Knowing the truth was better than gesticulating.


His face fell. Knowing the truth was better than gesticulating. She was already wondering who he was. Perhaps he should tell her, and take whatever her reaction may be in stride. He resolved that he would tell her tomorrow, after returning from the vineyard.


With that thought, he walked through the doorway into his bedchamber and turned down the covers. He would be able to sleep now.


A/N: Sorry it was soooo short, but the next part really belongs in a new chapter. I promise I will have that up either today or tomorrow. I haven’t posted in a few days because my hubby was off work, and when he is home, he hogs the comp, and me, lol. It doesn’t really give me time to write at all. But he is back to work today, and will be so until Saturday, so you can expect daily updates from me until then. Enjoy, and as always, please review!